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Pay Your Self Assessment Bill: App, Bank or Tax Code

Short answer: Pay HMRC by the deadline (usually 31 January for the balancing payment and first payment on account; 31 July for the second payment on account). GOV.UK lists several ways to pay, and says allow time depending on the method.

Ways to pay (GOV.UK)

• Same or next day: online or telephone bank transfer (Faster Payments), CHAPS, debit or corporate credit card online, or at your bank or building society (needs an HMRC paying-in slip).
• 3 working days: Bacs Direct Debit, if you've set one up with HMRC before.
• 5 working days: Direct Debit, if you haven't set one up before.
• You can no longer pay at the Post Office.
• You can also pay weekly or monthly towards the bill, or make one-off payments, before the deadline.
• GOV.UK says you can use the HMRC app to pay your bill through your bank's app or online banking.

If the deadline falls on a weekend or bank holiday, GOV.UK says to make sure payment reaches HMRC on the last working day before (unless paying by Faster Payments or card).

HMRC app

The GOV.UK app page (updated 7 September 2026) says the app can help you manage taxes, including setting a Self Assessment payment reminder. Check the page for features available to you.

Through your tax code

You can pay through your PAYE tax code if all of these apply:

• you owe less than £3,000 (you can't make a part payment to meet this threshold);
• you already pay tax through PAYE (for example employee or company pension);
• you submitted your paper return by 31 October or your online return by 30 December.

HMRC collects it automatically if you meet the conditions, unless you asked it not to. The tax is taken in equal instalments over 12 months. You can't use it if you don't have enough PAYE income, you'd pay more than 50% of PAYE income in tax, you'd pay more than twice as much tax as normal, or you owed £3,000 or more and part-paid to get below. Self-employed people can't pay Class 2 National Insurance through the tax code (except amounts due before 6 April 2015).

If you can't pay

GOV.UK says contact HMRC: you may be able to set up a payment plan in instalments, and HMRC checks that it's affordable.

FAQ

Is the app the only way? No; see the list above.

What if I pay late? You'll be charged interest and may get a penalty (penalties).

What we could not verify

• Current app features beyond the page's summary.
• Payment-plan terms.

Sources (GOV.UK)

• GOV.UK, Pay your Self Assessment tax bill — https://www.gov.uk/pay-self-assessment-tax-bill (read 17 October 2026)
• GOV.UK, Pay your Self Assessment tax bill: Through your tax code — https://www.gov.uk/pay-self-assessment-tax-bill/through-your-tax-code (read 17 October 2026)
• GOV.UK, Download the HMRC app (page last updated 7 September 2026) — https://www.gov.uk/guidance/download-the-hmrc-app (read 17 October 2026)
• GOV.UK, Difficulties paying HMRC — https://www.gov.uk/difficulties-paying-hmrc (read 17 October 2026)

Deadlines calendar → Penalty estimator →

Not tax advice. See the disclosure.